Swimming device



July 19, 1932.

I E. L. BELLMAN SWIMMING DEVICE Filed March 11. 1931 I Patentecl July 19,1932

"UNETEDV STATE'S EDWARD L. BELLMAN, or nooxnonn, ILLINOIS i' SWIMMING DEVICE Application filed March 11, 1931. Serial No. 521,707.

. My invention relates to swimming devices and has particular reference to a device adapted to be'secured to the hands and to the feet of a swimmer to augment the 8 natural surface area utilizable for propellin the swimmer through the water.

I 'have aimed to provide a swimming blade adapted to be pivotally secured to the hand of the swimmer and to bear against the palm of the hand and forearm when the hand and arm of the swimmer'aredrawn downward in a power stroke. 7 Another object of the invention is the provision of a swimming blade arranged to 18 offer but little resistance to the movement of the hand during the return stroke. N A further object of the invention is the provision of a swimming blade which may be secured either to the hands or to the feet of the swimmer.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be manufactured at a substantially smaller cost than other devices heretofore known. Other objects and attendant advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the swimming device showing it secured to the hand in the position which it will normally occupy during the power strokefand, in dotted lines, the position which it will occupy during a portion of the return stroke;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the swimming device showing the fingers of the swimmer in section; and

' Fig. 3 is a top view of the device showing 7 0 the manner in which it may be secured to the foot of the swimmer.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates a blade of desired shape characteristics, the shape shown in the drawing having'been shown to be satisfactory for the purpose. The paddle should be formed preferably of light material such as wood or may be made of light metal such as aluminum. If desired, the paddles may I be made hollow to hold a quantity of gas formed of any strong: flexible material such holes 12 cooperable therewith at the other whereby their buoyancy is increased, In"

this particular instance the paddle-hasbeen formed from a series of layers of wood ve neer whereby it maybe ,formed of wood in comparatively thin cross-section and yet have sufiicient. strength .to withstand the pressure of the water against itvduri'ng the power stroke of the swimmer. Spaced leatherloops 6 and 7 are 'securedftdthe. upper edge of the blade 5 by means of rivets 8 and 9 or by any other suitablemeans. The rivets pass through the blade 5.,and secure the ends ofthe loops 6 and 7 to opposite sides of the blade. These loops maybe as leather for example.

A leather or similar strap 10 is passed through the loops 6v and 7 and'is provided with a buckle 11 atone endand a series of end to form a loop. The length of this loop may be regulated by a buckle l1 and holes 12 to receive the fingers" 13 of tlie hand 1 1 of the swimmer. While the fingersof the" swimmer may be inserted in the loop formed by the strap 10 in a number of different ways; I havefound it advantageous forthe swimmer toplace the center two fingers 1 5 and 16 of the hand beneath the strap 10 in the area between the two loops 6 and 7 and to place the little and the index fingerswithin the loop formed by the strap 10, upon the loops 6 and 7. In this manner the blade 5 is firmly secured to the hand of the swimmer, the loops6 and?" being allowed to slide on the strap 10 topermit pivotal movement of the'bladei'" Thus while swimming with the device ,applied.to the hands of the swimmer a blade issecured to "each hand in the manner'shown in Figs, 1 and 2. The" blade 5 is causedto I lie back from its pivotal support across the hand 14 and the wrist 19. of the swimmer. 'As the hand is brought downward in a power stroke the blade 5 will be forced against the palm oftheliand and the wrist until the end of the-stroke is; reached. At thisfpoin't the swimmer begins; the return jstrokejduring which he desires as little; resistance ,to the water as possible. ,Thus at the beginning I of the return stroke the blade will drop y} to a'positionrepresented by the dotted lines ,in Fig. 1 to present the edge of the blade 7 to the water during this movement. As the hand and arm gradually change their position in the return stroke the blade will gradually, return to the full line position shown in Figgl, in which position itrwill be when the return stroke is finished and the next power strokebegins. Thus the de vice automatically operates to present, the maximum resistance to the water duringthe power stroke and the minimum resistance thereto during the return stroke; This occurs without any conscious effort onthe part of the swimmer. W I I To secure the blade to the footQt S of the swimmer a pair of spaced slots 20 and 21 are provided on the end ofthe blade '5 oppo-' site the loops 6 'and7. These slots are sospaced as to receive a strap 22 which passes rough the slots 20*and 21 around the toes oftheswimmer, designated generally by23,

and back to the opposite side of the blade,

where the ends of the strap'are'secured together by means of a buckle 24: and openings 25 cooperable therewith. V The strap 10 is passed around the leg27 of the swimmer and drawn tight by means of the buckle 11 as 30 will be apparent. Thus the blade 5 is firmly Y secured to the foot of the swimmer between the leg 27 and the toes '23.. Because of the movement of the feet in swimming it is unnecessary that the blade 5 be movable with respect to the foot, the'nor'inal movement" of the foot'26 in swimming causing the resistlance of the blade 5 to be increased anddecreased as desired.

' operation thereof is entirely automatic and the bladesmove with the movement of the hands and arms to present a maximum. resistance to the water during the power stroke and a minimum resistance thereto during the The blades are quickly and return stroke. I easily attached to the hands or to the feet of the swimmer and whenfused on the 'feet serve to augment the efiect of the feet as it naturally employed in'swimming.

- -The device maybe manufactured at very small cost'and maybe madeof wood, rubber, sheet metal, or the like, and may be made to 1 contain'ga'ses to increase its buoyancy. While Ihave thus described and'illustrated a specificembodiment of invention I am aware that numerous alterations and changesmay be made therein without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims in which "1. swimming device comprising in com- I b nation a'blade of thin rigid materialsupported to lieagainst and be supportedby the palm of the hand and the wrist in thevpower stroke of'swimming, and flexible-means for pivotally connecting said blade at its forward edge to the hand 01"- the swimmer, to'move between an operative position against the palm and wrist and aninoperative position paral lel to the movement of the swimmers hand on I the back stroke, whereby said blade will automatically present. a maxiinum resistance.

to the Water during the'powerstroke and a minimumresistance during thereturn stroke; T

2. A swimming device comprising in combination, a bladeofri'gid material, and a sin- 1 gle flexible, means on said blade for securing the latter to-the hand'ofaswimmer, whereby'said blade may occupy a position against the palm'of thehand during the power stroke of the' swimmer and move to a position to present a min mum of resistance to :the water during the return n i hout flexing ,or thehandg loops on one end of said blade, a strap passingthrough said loops and adapted to re-' .ceive the fingersof a swimmer top-ivotally secure said blade to the'handof a swimmer, to move between an operative position against the palm and wrist and an inoperative p'osie tion, whereby said blade may present a maxr mum resistance to the water during thepower strokeand move topresehtammnnum re sistance to the water during a return stroke;

A swimming device adaptedfor use upon either thehand or iootof a swimmercomprising a blade/of rigid material having 3. A swimming device 'comprising'in com. binat'ion, a bladeof rigid'materi'al, spaced a pair of spaced slots near one end, means on the opposite end thereof for pivotally securing said blade to the hand of tlieswimmer or fixedlysecuring one endof 'said blade to-the leg of a swimmer, and means in said-slotsfor securing said-blade to the foot of the swim ,mer. H 1 f r In witness of thei foregoingl afiix my'isig nature.

; EDWARD LL ELL AN. 

